The International Code Council (ICC) is promoting the 43rd annual Building Safety Month this May with the theme “Building Safety Starts with You!”
This educational and interactive Building Safety Month campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of building codes that ensure safety in the spaces where we live, work, and learn.
All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters like fires, weather-related events such as floods, and structural collapse. Regularly updated building codes and a strong system of strict code enforcement protects homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores, and places of entertainment.
Building Safety Month is an international celebration of all aspects of building safety that helps families, employers, and leaders understand and appreciate the best practices that keep our neighborhoods safe.
Building Safety Month unites industries, associations, academia, and government under a common goal to protect the public by creating a safe and resilient built environment.
The Building Safety Month campaign is supported by core themes that will be highlighted throughout the month, including:
Week One (May 1–7) Building Safety Starts at Home Fire safety tips, home maintenance best practices, and sustainability.
Week Two (May 8–14) Building Safety Professionals and You The important role that building safety professionals play in keeping us safe.
Week Three (May 15–21) Prepare Your Community Preparing communities for natural and man-made disasters.
Week Four (May 22–28) Advocate for Your Community How to get involved and promote building safety in your area.
Week Five (May 29–31) Solving Challenges Together Addresses some of the issues we face as a global community.
“Building safety is something many people take for granted,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “By becoming more aware of building codes and the important role they play in the built environment, we can take an active part in keeping our homes, schools, businesses, and communities safe and sustainable.”
Building Safety Month is presented by the International Code Council (ICC), a nonprofit association that is focused on building safety worldwide. The ICC provides a wide range of building safety solutions and develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures.
For more than four decades, the ICC, its members, and a diverse group of professionals from the building construction, design, and safety communities have come together to celebrate Building Safety Month.
Building Safety Month provides education for the public about solutions that improve the safety, sustainability, affordability, and resiliency of buildings, infrastructure, and communities. Contemporary planning, building materials, design, and construction can make our communities more resilient in the aftermath of disasters, fires, and other events.
The ICC provides materials to promote Building Safety Month with everything you need to host a successful event including safety tips, promotional material, and educational packets.
Use the campaign toolkit resources provided to plan meaningful actions to promote Building Safety Month. Some great ideas include:
- Issue a press release
- Encourage an elected official to issue a proclamation
- Submit a letter to the editor of the local newspaper
- Create a presentation for staff using the PowerPoint template provided
- Hand out the Building Safety Month general brochure
- Spread the word on social media with #BuildingSafety365
- Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on a relevant building safety topic, like electrical safety
- Provide home safety tip sheets
- Plan a family event with children’s activities and giveaways
Participating in safety awareness campaigns throughout the year is a great way for organizational leadership to show their continued support for their health and safety program. Awareness campaign events can be fun at the same time they are introducing important workforce and community safety concerns.
Not all awareness campaigns will be the right fit for every company, but there are so many to choose from throughout the year that it is certain safety management can find causes that are meaningful for the workers they support.
